Pumping system or apparatus for deep wells



Oct. 6, 1964 E. DA SILVA ROSA PUMPING SYSTEM OR APPARATUS FOR DEEP WELLSFiled Feb. 29, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 5 441 DA 6/4144 P0634 BY5M A ATTORNEYS Oct. 6, 1964 E. DA SlLVA ROSA PUMPING SYSTEM OR APPARATUSFOR DEEP WELLS Filed Feb. 29, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR isnu .2745/4 :44 P054 BY MQW 7M ATTORNEYS Oct. 6, 1964 5, DA SILVA ROSA PUMPINGSYSTEM OR APPARATUS FOR DEEP WELLS Filed Feb. 29, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3/6 INVENTGLZ BY fiwww-yrm ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,151,560PUMPING SYSTEM OR APPARATUS FOR DEEP WELLS Esau da Silva Rosa, Rua Dr.Santos Rocha 17, Figueira da Foz, Portugal Filed Feb. 29, 1960, Ser. No.11,821 Claims priority, applicatiensPortugal, Feb. 27, 1959, 35,8 8 3Claims. (Cl. 103-5) The present invention relates broadly to a pumpingsystem.

More particularly, the invention relates to a pumping system orapparatus, of the type utilized for pumping liquid from wells and whichinclude means for mixing air with the ascending column of liquid.

Still more specifically, the invention relates to a pumping system orapparatus applicable to pump water admixed with air from deep wells.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide apumping system or apparatus which includes conduit means disposed withina well and having inlets associated therewith for receiving air andwater and pump means operably associated with the conduit means forelevating a column of air-water mixture from the well and in which thepump means includes a vacuum pump and the proportion of the air in theair-water mixture being variable according to the cross-sectional areaof the air inlet and the atmospheric pressure surrounding the conduitmeans.

It is a specific object of the invention to provide a combinationincluding a chamber for receiving the airwater mixture and in which theair is separated from the water, a first rotary pump having an inletcommunicating with the chamber'adapted to pump water therefrom fordelivery and a second rotary pump for delivering a column of theair-water mixture to the chamber.

It is a further specific object of the invention to provide a casingstructure adapted to be associated with a well and which includes anupper separating space, an inlet for air-water mixture provided in theupper portion of this casing structure and a vertically disposed conduithaving an upper open end disposed above the water level in the casingstructure and operably associated with a rotary pump mounted on one sideof the casing structure and which includes an outlet for delivering air,further on the opposite side of the casing structure is mounted anotherrotary pump having an inlet in communication with the watencontainingportion of the casing and which second pump is operable to deliverwater, and a common shaft extends through the casing structure andcarries the rotors of both pumps. As a further object, the casingstructure includes a Web portion carrying a tubular boss that isoperable to receive and support a portion of the shaft disposed withinthe casing.

Further and more specific objects of the invention will be apparent fromthe following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view partly in elevation and partly in longitudinalsection illustrating the casing structure and the two pumps of one formof the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a view partly in vertical section and partly in elevationillustrating the pumping apparatus or system of the invention installedin operative relation to a well,

FIGURE 3 is a transverse sectional view illustrating one form of vacuumpump of the present invention in one position of adjustment as regardsits capacity, and

FIGURE 4 is a similar view illustrating the pump of FIGURE 3 with theparts in another position of adjustment.

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In the drawing, FIGURE 2, the well is denoted generally at P andincludes a cap structure at the top having an opening therein throughwhich is disposed the pipe 18 having an open lower end disposed beneaththe surface of the water in the well. On the cap structure is carried acasing denoted generally at C which in the illustrated form comprisestwo parts, 1 and 2. The upper part 1 is suitably secured to the lowerpart 2. To one wall of the lower part of the casing 2 is mounted acentrifugal pump B and to the opposite wall is mounted a vacuum waterring pump D. The stator parts of these pumps are removably secured tothe opposite walls of the casing part 2 and like the casing are made ofcast iron or other cast metal. A shaft 5 extends through the casing andcarries the rotors 3 and 4 of the two pumps. A web structure is disposedwithin the lower part of the casing 2 and is integral with the wallthereof and is formed to provide a tubular portion 7 which receives andsupports a portion of shaft 5. A ball-bearing structure 6 mounted in thestator journals another portion of shaft 5. A conduit 8 extends betweenan opening in the wall of easing part 2 adjacent pump D to the upperportion of easing part 1. This conduit 8 has an open upper end near thetop of easing part 1 and functions as an inlet conduit for the pump D.Another conduit 9 is provided in association with the casing part 2 andfunctions as an outlet passage for pump D. A bafde It) is provided onthe righthand wall of easing part 2, FIGURE 1, to separate the inlet andoutlet 8 and 9 of pump D. This bafile plate is shaped as shown in FIG-URES 3 and 4 and includes two arcuate portions 10", 10", a central weband a tubular portion that surrounds the shaft 5. The arcuate portion10" is of substantially greater circumferential extent than the portion19. The rotor 4 is provided with blades 4' and passages 4 for receivingair from conduit 8 and delivering air to the outlet 9. A cover 11 ismounted on the stator of pump D and a suitable bushing and packing showngenerally at 12 is likewise provided around shaft 5. The pipe or conduit18 that extends from beneath the surface of the water to the uppercasing part 1 is provided with a series of calibrated orifices 19, 20,21 and 22, these orifices serving as inlets for air as regards pipe 18so that the rising column is a mixture of air and water, whereby theweight of the liquid is reduced as the height of the column increases inorder to make possible the elevation of the liquid by the pump means. Itis to be noted that as shown in FIG. 2 the cross sectional areas of theorifices 19, 29, 21 and 22 progressively increase toward the lower endof pipe 18 to increase the amount of air entering pipe 18 as the waterlevel lowers. This mixture of air and water is drawn into the upper part1 of the casing and in the upper part the air is separated from thewater by gravity action. The air enters the open upper end of pipe 8 andflows to pump D, through the latter and is then expelled to theatmosphere by the pipe 9. The water from the lower part 2 of the casingenters the inlet of the centrifugal pump B and is delivered to adischarge-pipe 23 that is connected to the outlet of pump B. A valve 24is associated with the outlet of pump B.

The structure of casing and pumps can be secured in position on the wellcap by suitable clip means denoted generally at 25. A priming inlet 26is provided in communication with pump D and an electric motor, notshown, is coupled to shaft 5 for driving the latter and thus the rotorsof the pumps B and D.

In the operation of the invention, pump D is primed by supplying waterthrough priming inlet 26. This inlet is capped or plugged and then themotor is started. The air contained in pipe 18 and in the chamber C isextracted until a vacuum effect is attained which causes the watergravity, the water being Withdrawn by pump B and forced through thedischarge pipe 23 while the air is sucked through inlet 8 by pump D andexpelled into the atmosphere. V

' FIGURES 3 and 4 illustrate a feature of the invention in which thewater-ring pump Dis provided with a circular member 13 that is termed afalse stator. The member 13'is disposed between the interior of theouter casing or stator of pump D and the external periphery of rotor 4.Oppositely disposed projections 14 and 15 are slidably arranged withrelation to sockets formed in the stator or casing of the pump. A handwheel 16 is supported by the upper socket and carries a; threadedspindle 17 associated with internal threads in the upper projection 14of the ring 13. This'ring 13 is a bronze ring and adjusts itself 'withrespect to the inner-walls of pump D by means of packings, not shown. Bymanipulating hand wheel 16, the position of the ring 13 is variedtransversely of the axis of pump rotor 4 so as to vary the In a fairlydeep well'in which the water level is vari-' able, the arrangement ofthe series of orifices 19 to 22 in vertically spaced relation ensuresthat the lower the water level in the Well, the more air is admixed withthe rising column so that the specific gravity of this column is almostconstant the longer its travel is from the well to the pumps. Thus, as afeature of the invention, the proportion of the air in the air-Watermixture varies according to the cross-sectional area of the air inletorifices in pipe 18 in relation to the number of the same orifices andto the depth at which the water to be raised is located and in relationto the surrounding atmospheric pressure.

' Accordingly, the use of a variable capacity, vacuum pump well; acasing enclosing a space of greater horizontal area than said conduit,said conduit being operatively connected to said casing so that liquidflowing upwardly in said conduit enters said casing, a centrifugalliquid pump operatively connected to said casing near the bottom thereofto take suction therefrom, an adjustable output vacuum pump operativelyconnected to said casing near the top thereof to take suction therefrom,said conduit being provided with a series of vertically spaced orificesat least some of which are adapted to be positioned above the surface ofthe liquid whereby air is entrained in the liquid being pumped, the sizeof said orifices increasing toward the open end of said conduit.

2. The pumping arrangement of claim 1, in which said centrifugal liquidpump and said vacuum pump are to surround said rotor, said false statorelement being selectively movable from a position concentric to saidrotor to positions eccentric to said stator, whereby the capacity ofsaid vacuum pump may be varied;

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 45,153Gunning Nov. 22, 1864 669,255 Hewlett Mar. 5, 1901 753,045 Cooper Feb.23, 1904 1,034,703 Freeman Aug. 6, 1912 1,499,316 Oliphan-t June 24,1924 1,731,688 Stuck Oct. 15, 1929 1,738,974 Taylor Dec. 10, 19292,008,172 Bryant July 16, 1935 2,015,938 Humason Oct. 1, 1935 FOREIGNPATENTS 388,908 Germany Ian. 22, 1924 512,003 Germany Nov. 4, 1930662,514 Germany July 15, 1938 84,438 Austria June 25, 1924 463,208 GreatBritain Mar. 24, 1937 1,104,008 1955 France June 8,

1. A PUMPING ARRANGEMENT FOR LIFTING LIQUID FROM A WELL OR THE LIKEWHICH IS OPEN TO ATMOSPHERE, COMPRISING A LIQUID CONDUIT HAVING AN OPENEND ADAPTED TO EXTEND INTO LIQUID IN A WELL, AND TO EXTEND UPWARDLY TO APOSITION AT A HIGHER LEVEL THAN THE LEVEL OF LIQUID IN THE WELL, ACASING ENCLOSING A SPACE OF GREATER HORIZONTAL AREA THAN SAID CONDIUIT,SAID CONDUIT BEING OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID CASING SO THAT LIQUIDFLOWING UPWARDLY IN SAID CONDUIT ENTERS SAID CASING, A CENTRIFUGALLIQUID PUMP OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID CASING NEAR THE BOTTOM THEREOFTO TAKE SUCTION THEREFROM, AN ADJUSTABLE OUTPUT VACUUM PUMP OPERATIVELYCONNECTED TO SAID CASING NEAR THE TOP THEREOF TO TAKE SUCTION THEREFROM,SAID CONDUIT BEING PROVIDED WITH A SERIES OF VERTICALLY SPACED ORIFICESAT LEAST SOME OF WHICH ARE ADAPTED TO BE POSITIONED ABOVE THE SURFCE OFTHE LIQUID WHEREBY AIR IS ENTRAINED IN THE LIQUID BEING PUMPED, THE SIZEOF SAID ORIFICES INCREASING TOWARD THE OPEN END OF SAID CONDUIT.